Chronicle

Be bold, be direct, be You - How to conquer the social media job search.

Posted: 06 January 2016

We all know that taking your job search to the social sphere is a no brainer. Employers are there, cultures are showcased and insight is plentiful. With all this vast opportunity and scope for engagement it can be even tougher to know where to focus and how to use this expansive media to your advantage. It's just as much about technique as tools so you don't go into your search believing that being everywhere and everything to everyone is the best strategy.

It all boils down to the fact that businesses and employers are using their social media to find you - the candidate. They know how to utilise and maximise themselves for social, and they expect candidates to do the same. So if your social search is stunted or maybe you’re just starting out in the social stakes, it always pays to stray away from the norm and take this search by the horns.

Tips & techniques for smashing your social media job search.

Engage with employees.

It’s always great to try and connect with prospective employers on Twitter, Facebook and such, but the magic happens when you engage with employees. While other job seekers are trying to catch the attention of the big guns, the real insight givers and influencers are left wide open. Tap into the workforce of your dream employers, comment or share their recent blogs or Tweets and make personal contact with them. This is the perfect long game as it gives you great info on culture and their working lives, while ensuring that you’re considered a viable contact or referral when a position arises. Don’t try to just bleed them dry and bounce, put real effort and personalisation into making these connections.

Have something to showcase.

A thorough and experience-filled resume is great but have something a little more visual and personal up your sleeve. Whether it’s a video portfolio you send out via invitation, a hashtag campaign that drip feeds your portfolio pieces or a free seminar where you share your expertise, have something that puts you and your skills at the forefront. You need to be bolder and delightfully direct to push your way past your fellow social searchers. Be sure to marry professionalism and personality in equal doses.

Take your search off the grid.

Your online efforts should always been complemented by offline ones. Nothing trumps the face-to-face impact and so your social media strategy should have this in mind, what you do online should aim to nab that offline meet. Go about this mission in a variety of ways - ask straight up for an office tour to check out your dream employer’s space. Why not set up your own meet and greet fayre when local employers can meet local searchers? Being part of an active community not only wins you points in the thought leadership ranks but it increases your contact base and allows folks in the industry to know the face behind the name.

Go beyond the job board and social postings.

Positions are advertised all over the shop these days. It’s fab that you can find a range of opps without leaving Twitter but be more inventive with your search. Utilise new social and tech tools to leverage your search. Take Slack for example, why not create your own Slack group that’s all about sharing search skills or one for employers to connect with industry-specific info. Go after the opps before they pop up on the job board, proactivity will always be a key search skill.

Finding a job on social media isn’t just about tracking hashtags, reaching out to employers and letting your friends know you’re looking - it’s about presenting yourself as a brand and finding new ways to get your foot in the door.